Lee Dong-wook: “I want to conquer the universe”

With Scent of a Woman having wrapped up over the weekend, it’s managed to raise the profiles of its two stars — or, should I say, re-raise, since Kim Sun-ah and Lee Dong-wook were successful leading actors before as well. But as is the case with many a well-received, heart-warming TV series, what we’re left with isn’t just the warm fuzzies over the drama plot, but also newer, fresher impressions of the actors who played the characters we laughed and cried over. (Although in this case, it was probably more crying than laughs.)

The following is taken from multiple interviews with Scent’s leading man Lee Dong-wook given over the past few weeks, as he was shooting and wrapping the show.

Scent of a Woman is Lee’s first project after being released from military service, and he wasted no time getting to work; he headed to the drama’s poster shoot on the day he was discharged.

Lee laughed about seeing an article while he was still in the army (his hair stylist sent a camera-phone picture of the story), which listed Can You Hear My Heart’s Kim Jae-won as number 1 pick for the actor who’d do the best in his post-army project, and Lee Dong-wook as number 2. He joked, “It was my goal to beat Kim Jae-won.”

But he can say that, he explains, because they’re both good friends, having worked the same army radio DJ gig together for eight months. “We call each other frequently now, too. When I said I’d beat him, hyung just laughed.” (Also: Can you believe Kim Jae-won is the hyung? That seems odd to me, since Lee Dong-wook looks mature for his age and Kim Jae-won’s still rocking the baby face.)

Other entertainers he became close with in the army: Dynamic Duo, Lee Jin-wook, Andy, and Boom, who are “just like brothers to me.”

He’s considering what role he’ll take after Scent of a Woman, wondering if it’s best to go with a film, or try a different character. He said, “Personally, I want to do another drama. And I’ve never done a sageuk, so I’d like to film one of those, too. But everyone tells me my face isn’t right for sageuk. [Laughs]”

In a recent interview given while he was still shooting Scent, he talked about the toll the all-night shoots were taking on his body: “What stresses me out the most is hearing people tell me to stop losing weight. I’m not trying to lose it, it’s just coming off. Shooting this drama, I’ve stayed up for ten nights. I’ve never gone to sleep in a bed, I’ve only slept in brief spurts while traveling from here to there. For instance, this team might finish shooting at 4 am, and another team goes on standby at 6 am. Can you imagine how doing this for ten days straight would be tough?”

Uh, yikes. And we wonder why the big A-list stars tend to shy away from dramas. Maybe it’s not because films bring them greater fame, or global reach, or artistic freedom. Maybe they’re just tired.

His Ji-wook character has received a number of comparisons to Hyun Bin’s kka-do-nam (uptight city man) in Secret Garden, another SBS weekend drama where the male lead was a chaebol who falls for an ordinary woman and gets in touch with his emotional side. Asked about being called “the next Hyun Bin,” Lee quipped, “I’d rather be the first Lee Dong-wook.” Score 1 for the actor, 0 for the dim reporter who thought that was a clever question.

Lee added, “Actually after My Girl [where Lee played another chaebol], I got a lot of offers for dramas in this genre. But if you pump out all the water in stream, it dries up. When I received the script for Scent of a Woman, I felt I could do it now, when the water level was full. He is a chaebol, but he’s not a kka-do-nam or a cha-do-nam [cold city man], which I liked. And while he is at odds with the Yeon-jae character, they are able to support and depend on each other when they’re in pain, which I also liked.”

The drama has its share of obvious setups and predictable characters, but one of its strengths has been in playing out the scenarios in ways that defy the obvious chaebol-in-love-with-terminal-cancer-patient storyline. Lee said, “On one hand, it can be seen as conventional and obvious. It’s the terminal patient and the chaebol, and Cinderella on top of that. What was important was in making that less conventional. There’s something different about Ji-wook from other romantic comedy men, with his indifferent eyes and his lack of will to do anything. In the first half of the drama, I heard a lot of comments like, ‘Why the heck is the hero like that?’ But as time went on, people began to understand Ji-wook.”

Lee considers his current popularity “just good luck.” He added, “What’s funny is that I feel like I was acting the same in La Dolce Vita and Partner as in this drama, but it seems like the viewer’s perception has changed.”

He explained that initially, his first thought upon choosing this project was that he hoped viewers would watch comfortably, since he’s heard that they had trouble with La Dolce Vita and Partner. But: “I keep hearing from people that the response to the drama is good and that a lot of people have favorable reactions to me, but nobody says that to me directly so I almost want to ask where I can go to hear all his.” Ha! Although it makes sense that if you’re in a bubble where you aren’t as privy to the popular sentiment as normal folk, it can all feel like a lie, or at least a fantasy.

Lee described meeting Kim Sun-ah following their shoot for Episode 11, when Ji-wook finds out about Yeon-jae’s diagnosis: “She and I were both in the same state — the moment we saw each other’s faces, we started tearing up, thinking, ‘What happens with us now?’ We’d developed a sense of compassion for each other. Because I was crying, I couldn’t act. [Laughs]”

Asked about his similarities with Ji-wook, Lee said, “I think we’re similar in not wanting to trouble ourselves with bothersome things. My mother was even surprised at how I changed, because if I’m not working, I don’t leave the house much. There’s a separate study in the house, where I’ll read manhwa books, use the computer, listen to music, and even drink by myself.”

He said of Kim, “When I heard she was cast as my co-star, I thought that she could help me out a lot. Kim Sun-ah is thoughtful and looks after people when we’re on set, and has a way of making things fun for her co-star. That’s why I could film the bicycle date and the tent kiss scenes while smiling. [Laughs]”

Lee has a lot of ambitions about his future, and when asked about his own bucket list, he said, “If I were to write one like Yeon-jae did, I’d like to conquer the universe with my acting. Before I die, I want to be recognized for my acting. I’d also like to be a good father, a good husband, and keep my body in this shape till I’m ninety.”

September 12, 2011 at 1:32 PM

September 12, 2011 at 1:33 PM

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Sigh. I will miss the amazingly hot tango scenes between Wookie and Kim Sun Ah. I think I understand why people say he doesn't have the saeguk "look." Maybe it's just me, but at some angles he looks very Western. After watching Scent of a Woman, another Wookie fan has been created. I will look out for your next dramas and (hopefully!) the plentiful of shower scenes they come with :). You just gotta love a hero who likes to be clean.

September 12, 2011 at 2:12 PM

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I think he'll do fine in a sageuk. His face reminds me of Kim Min Jong's (Return of Il Ji Mae), which also has very deep set eyes, prominent bridge and brow ridges, etc. Put some mustache on LDW, and he'll be good to go.

September 12, 2011 at 7:22 PM

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yeah, my sister kept shouting he's not korean! at the tv but changed her mind in a few scenes. I definitely agree that his face is not typical sageuk face, I can't see the mane of glory looking right on him, but I'd over look all that if it's the right part. Scent is my first time seeing him since my girl and I really like watching him.

September 15, 2011 at 6:37 PM

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On that topic,I wonder if he is really "pure Korean".I mean he must have -my guess-middle eastern or European bloodline . He doesn't really look like Korean .

He can be anything he likes -the makeup and hairstyle will take care of that . If he tries Sageuk ,he must practice the way they speak and move .And physical training as it mostly involve a lot of fighting

September 12, 2011 at 1:52 PM

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Ditto Pr1ncess61's comment. Seen all his dramas except for an earlier one called "Carousel" or "Wooden Horse." The OST is so good and I heard the series was well received when it aired in Taiwan. Does anyone know any links for watching that? Don't mind even if the subs are in Chinese. I searched Tudou and Xiaoli but came up with nothing :(

September 12, 2011 at 2:30 PM

September 12, 2011 at 7:19 PM

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I was reading a post at SOAW's FB. She said that whoever is so silly to air the last 2 episodes on a Chuseok weekend. It's so not fair. Also remember SOAW was supposed to air on the 16th of July but got pushed back either for New Gisaeng's extension or more time for LDW to prepare for filming. Bad timing all around.

September 12, 2011 at 2:57 PM

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To each their own.
Wasn't attracted to him in My Girl, and when I saw his other dramas - I was like ...hmmm, ok...so I definitely can see where you're coming from.

But in Scent of a Woman, that tango scene when Yeon Jae was alone at the dance studio...after he's grabbed her and dance with her, he's says something like how can I stop thinking about you when you're like this...lips all a-trembling, breath all hot and heavy...

Yup , that did if for me. He's under my skin now; I'll watch whatever he does next! YUM! ^___^

September 12, 2011 at 3:34 PM

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i thought i was the only one who didn't like "my girl", and to be honest lee jun ki stole the show for me. i became an instant fan of his, but because of SOAW lee dong wookie has secured a place on my top 10 list.

September 12, 2011 at 7:29 PM

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I must say, at first I found him rather ugly. I didn't like his eyes and his face as well, though he has an amazing body. But ep after ep, I started to see him with new light, to a point in which now I am totally swoon over him. And by this interview, he seems to have a great personality, too!

September 14, 2011 at 5:56 PM

September 14, 2011 at 5:56 PM

September 12, 2011 at 4:34 PM

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Like Laeah, am not impressed with LDW's acting - either in My Girl, La Dolce Vita or here in SOAW. LDV I watch everytime I find it difficult to sleep - LDV guaranteed to make me sleep.... I thought it was LDV's story that makes me sleep, but after watching LDW in SOAW, now I know that it is LDW's acting that makes me sleepy. While watching SOAW, every time he comes onscreen I'd find myself yawning! Only KSA and EKJ's presence stop me from falling asleep.

KSA is great as always, but the revelation to me in this drama is Eom Ki Joon. This is the first drama I see him in and I have become a fan.... looking forward to EKJ's next project.

September 12, 2011 at 8:30 PM

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I think he's a good actor; he's better at quieter scenes, at scenes where his character is alone and contemplative, and he's a fantastic comedic actor. Partner is not a great or even good drama by any stretch, but he's pretty hilarious in it, as well as in Perfect Couple. His character in La Dolce Vita was an incredibly intricate one, bordering on incoherent, actually, and I think he was better in his quieter scenes opposite Oh Yun Soo and Park Si Yeon than in any of the scenes where his character was violent and unstable. And he's really, really good at crying. Usually when actors start to cry in films or TV I immediately feel like I'm being taken out of the experience of the story and I become aware that I'm actually watching something that was created for my viewing, but not so with this actor, which is something I appreciate.

I remember watching My Girl and being bored and a little annoyed at all the characters and the plot development, and I wasn't in any way interested in any of their careers, but then SoaW came along, and I was so intrigued by LDW that I decided to watch the rest of his works (excluding My Girl) and I've yet to be disappointed. What I like best about this assemblage of his last few interviews is how he speaks about his interpretation of Ji Wook: it's obviously something the writer wrote into the character, but I think he brought some of his own understanding to it, and it shows in his performance.

I've harbored some of the same "they like him 'cause he's pretty" thoughts before--about Lee Min Ho (please don't kill me anyone!)--so I know how you feel, but Imma have to disagree. Acting abilities aside, I think his appeal as a celebrity may come from that fact that he (seems, at least) rather down to earth and isn't always in headlines splashed across Soompi when he isn't working; he keeps a low profile and is rather charming in his interviews. I especially like how open he is about the conventions of k-dramaland because it sounds like he puts thought into his choice of work in terms of substance and not only how popular it may or may not be.

September 12, 2011 at 8:35 PM

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Hahahaha...I think most people finish reading this article and are like, "I can definitely help him with the god husband and father bit and I am more than willing to support him in his quest to keep this body til he's ninety."

September 12, 2011 at 3:20 PM

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ldw is such a nice person with an angelic face and beautiful body. But honestly, i'd rather have him with a shirt on than shirtless. His eyes and face are more than enough to make me swoon. His abs is a sweet treat though. But i still insist that i like more his kind face than the hot bod. Hah! So much for hypocrisy eh?! Seriously, i'd be adding him to my own version of lyj's bucket list (celebrities i want to meet and at least hug before i die! Haha seunggi is 1st, hyun bin next) wee!

September 12, 2011 at 3:27 PM

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oh, and I'm loving the Army bromance with him and KJW. It's awesome that he's made a lot of friendships. I'm interested in seeing how he's close with Dynamic Duo and Boom though haha. They're a bit... crazy :D

September 12, 2011 at 4:09 PM

I am really concerned about this . Javabeans you are right. They are just tired. They want to reach out to the general public on their tellies..but it is just too tiring to work like this. -->>>

In a recent interview given while he was still shooting Scent, he talked about the toll the all-night shoots were taking on his body: “What stresses me out the most is hearing people tell me to stop losing weight. I’m not trying to lose it, it’s just coming off. Shooting this drama, I’ve stayed up for ten nights. I’ve never gone to sleep in a bed, I’ve only slept in brief spurts while traveling from here to there. For instance, this team might finish shooting at 4 am, and another team goes on standby at 6 am. Can you imagine how doing this for ten days straight would be tough?”

Uh, yikes. And we wonder why the big A-list stars tend to shy away from dramas. Maybe it’s not because films bring them greater fame, or global reach, or artistic freedom. Maybe they’re just tired.

September 12, 2011 at 8:01 PM

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No wonder Han Ye Seul did what she did at the time when she was still doing the drama spy myung wol. Guess what? She has been invited to appear in Korea's National Assembly to represent the actors and testify I guess on working conditions these actors have to endure when they are working on a drama. I hope she will be able to tell her side of the story in that assembly so that maybe a change can happen for the better.

September 12, 2011 at 5:25 PM

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i love this attitude =) it's totally reflective of i-just-spent-two-years-in-the-army-and-worked-on-a-drama-about-the-meaning-of-life-after
thought he was so-so in my girl, and while kim sun ah still stole the show in soaw, thought he was adorbs. and with a hot bod. any more would be too much, wouldn't it?

September 12, 2011 at 9:01 PM

September 12, 2011 at 9:05 PM

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Thanks for translating these, javabeans~^^ It's really cool to read about the actors as real people instead of only seeing them act. LDW seems like a truly thoughtful, funny guy. And he's a talented actor. AND he's smokin' hot. ~lol~